Memories of Edward & Elizabeth
by DaniNatureGirl313
Summary: <html><head></head>King Edward the 4th thinks back on the great love of his life.</html>


_**AN: I just thought this song perfectly described the couple, & the tender, but passionate love they had for each other. So many of the images matched w/ scenes from the show, so I couldn't resist pairing them up. Oh, & when I refer to the Prince of Wales as "Eddie", it's only to avoid confusion here between him & his father. **_

_**I'm gonna be here for you, baby.**_

_**I'll be a man of my word.**_

_**Speak the language in a voice that you have never heard.**_

_**I wanna sleep with you forever.**_

_**And I wanna die in your arms.**_

_**In a cabin by a meadow where the wild bees swarm**_

_**I'm gonna love you, like nobody loves you.**_

_**And I'll earn your trust, making memories of us.**_

Whatever King Edward the Fourth was expecting when he spotted the messy heads of two little boys, calling out to him and his entourage, meeting their extraordinarily beautiful mother was certainly not it. Lady Elizabeth Grey stole every ounce of breath from his body, from the very moment their eyes met. The first word that popped into his mind to describe this woman? "Home." He felt so comfortable walking next to her and her sons, like he'd been doing it his entire life. He ignored the banter between her mother and Warwick, only able to focus on Elizabeth's cool grey-blue eyes. He listened intently as she detailed her financial troubles, genuinely and deeply concerned about finding a way to help her. He admired her strength in bringing this matter up, and the love she held for her family. He found himself longing desperately to be the newest object of that love, and he wanted it for eternity.

When it was time for him to rejoin his men, though he knew it was necessary, it was actually the absolute last thing he wanted to do. He was in love, purely and simply. He wanted to protect this amazing woman. He wanted to see her smile, and to comfort her when she was low in spirits. Somehow, he just knew she'd do the same for him. He asked her to indulge in a way of giving that comfort, meaning to become his mistress. Not only did she say no, but she shocked him even further by threatening to cut her own throat. She said she'd rather die than lay with a man who was not her husband. "Don't doubt my courage, a match for any man", she'd told him. Edward wanted to scream to the skies how proud he was of her over that statement, which only further proved that she was his perfect match, but his pride wouldn't allow it. "You'll never see me again", he said as he re-mounted his horse, not bothering to look back as he rode off.

After a couple of days, though, he accepted the only inevitable outcome to all this. He had to marry her. He felt like he'd die from heartbreak if he didn't. He was overjoyed when she gave her consent, and even more so as they said their vows. True, he'd tried this once before with another woman, but he meant it this time. He'd never hurt Elizabeth like that, his precious, darling wife. England would love and adore their new queen. He was sure of it. He was already making plans for her coronation as he watched her sleep, following their first couple rounds of…well, you know. If duty didn't call, Edward would've been perfectly happy to stay like that forever: wrapped in her arms, in her sheets, in that cozy little hunting lodge. It was so peaceful, so calm, and so wonderfully romantic. If the Good Lord chose to take him in that precise moment, he'd die a very happy man.

_**I wanna honor your mother.**_

_**I wanna learn from your pa.**_

_**I wanna steal your attention like a bad outlaw.**_

_**I wanna stand out in a crowd for you, **_

_**A man among men**_

_**I wanna make your world better than it's ever been.**_

_**And I'm gonna love you, like nobody loves you.**_

_**And I'll earn your trust, making memories of us.**_

Edward remembered well the events of years ago, when Jaquetta and Richard Woodville married for love, and also without royal permission. They began building up their big family soon after. Even though he was a child back then, it was a pretty story he secretly hoped to have for himself one day. He could never have dreamed that he'd be standing at the front of a small church, pledging himself for eternity to that same woman's daughter. She looked on with fondness, loving warmth in her eyes and soft smile. As he briefly studied her from the corner of his eye, he wondered what she was thinking. When she caught his gaze, and the left corner of her mouth quirked up a bit further, he realized what it must be. She was thinking of how the two weddings took place under such similar circumstances. He was immensely grateful for all the help she offered them.

Baron Rivers, however, was less than enthusiastic. Edward really couldn't blame him. Even before he noticed the affection blooming between his firstborn child and the York king, he strongly disliked having the young man in his home at all, regardless of what intentions were there. He was a strong man, a proud man. But ultimately, he was also very tender and doting towards his family. He had a good heart that drove his actions, which Edward was far from blind to. He respected and admired the older man for that. He was still just a youth in many respects, though, and he couldn't help throwing little playful winks and innuendos at Elizabeth as they ate dinner the night of their secret wedding. He'd wink, she'd giggle, he'd smile behind his hand, and she'd giggle again. It was so much fun, almost too much, and oh so delightfully naughty.

As he stood on the staircase, watching Elizabeth being led into the courtyard proper, he thought his heart would surely burst out of his chest. He barely felt his feet, carrying him down the steps to her. Her welcoming kiss was a sweet as a piece of candied fruit. He felt like he couldn't get enough of it, but he had to for the public's sake. A cloud of joy circled his mind and heart as he introduced her to everyone, which was at its strongest when she met his brothers and sister. With a grand sweep of his arm, and a smile broad enough to nearly be hurting his face, he said proudly, "My royal court, I give you the queen of England!" They applauded, and he gave an inward sigh as Elizabeth snuggled against his chest. Their lives would really begin now.

_**We'll follow the rainbow**_

_**Wherever the four winds blow**_

_**And there'll be a new day**_

_**Comin' your way**_

Years passed by, and the royal family slowly grew. Unusual for a king of his day, Edward loved all his children equally, regardless of their gender. He gazed dotingly on his girls: Lizzie, Cecily, Anne, Catherine, and Bridget. And he held great pride in his boys, Eddie and Richard. He also tried to be a good mentor and friend towards his two stepsons. He carefully hid the flashes of sorrow in his eyes whenever he thought about the empty seats at the dinner table, symbols of their lost Mary and George, but he knew they were in a much better place than this chaotic world. All was made right again when he saw Elizabeth's sweetly smiling face. He squeezed her hand a bit tighter, bringing her knuckles to his lips and placing a tender kiss upon them. He was pleased that even after all this time together, that a simple wink from him could still make his wife blush. How he loved her.

_**I'm gonna be here for you from now on.**_

_**This you know somehow.**_

_**You've been stretched to the limits, but it's alright now.**_

_**And I'm gonna make you a promise.**_

_**If there's life after this,**_

_**I'm gonna be there to meet you with a warm, wet kiss.**_

_**And I'm gonna love you, like nobody loves you.**_

_**And I'll earn your trust, making memories of us.**_

Edward heartily wished he had the power to reverse time, to the moment he'd first laid eyes on Jane Shore, and prevent said moment from happening. He couldn't believe the look on Elizabeth's face when she'd caught them together, nor the dreadful excuse he'd given. While telling her "You are my home" was indeed a sincere statement, it did nothing to erase the betrayal in her eyes from his memory. He did what he once promised to never do: hurt his wife. "You lay with her like you loved her, like she could so easily take my place." Those were his precious bride's words, and they tore a chunk out of his soul. Elizabeth was irreplaceable to him, a treasure he'd now tarnished by his horrible behavior. He was relieved when she kissed his hand, and then his cheek as she welcomed him back to her side in their bed. She may have forgiven him, and possibly forgotten as well, but he never would.

She'd had enough to deal with at the time. There was the cold murder of her father and brother, for one. Then, there was Warwick, and all the plots circling around him because of his petty jealousy. Backstabbing after backstabbing…how much could one couple take? Then, along came the loss of her beloved mother, Jaquetta. He was thinking about all that as they and their children sat down to dinner one particular night. He forced himself to push aside how warm his body suddenly felt, even when Elizabeth commented on it by touching his forehead.

"You gave me a second chance, another life, beautiful children…" He sighed as his wife's gentle, cool hand settled lovingly over his sweat-drenched brow. Her touch had always been a magical cure for his ills throughout their marriage, and he assumed this was the case again as he suddenly felt all traces of sickness leave him. He realized this wasn't so when he heard Elizabeth's heart-wrenching sob. He also realized that he was now standing up, and he felt like a young man again. Looking over his shoulder, he watched in horror as she cradled the head of his remains tightly to her chest, kissing his forehead and rocking back and forth. He was dead. Giving a heavy sigh, he walked up behind his bride and placed his hands on her shoulders. He then leaned down, kissed the top of her head, and whispered, "I'm sorry. I love you."

The image of his bedchamber faded, a strange ethereal mist closing in around him. It didn't take long for said mist to start fading, and as he took those first few tentative steps forward, he heard the sound of dried leaves as they crunched under his boots. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a pile of books sitting next to a nearby creek. Not having much else to do, he decided to read them. Edward didn't know how much time passed, nor did he notice that the amount of books in the pile kept increasing. As long as he was occupied, it didn't matter. Then one day, as he paced back and forth while reading a book of poetry, he suddenly had the sense that he was no longer alone. He heard more footsteps in the leaves, lighter ones than his own. Putting the book down, he left the creek-bank and walked through some tall bushes.

A tall, familiar-looking oak tree had sprung up in the once-empty glade, but that wasn't what now had his attention. It was the lone figure next to it, pacing nervously in its shade. A buoyant smile split his face in two. He'd know that plain rose-pink dress anywhere. He gave a sharp whistle, and he took a deep breath as Elizabeth's eyes met his. She smiled, too, a laugh and a joyful shout escaping her. Hiking up her skirt the tiniest bit, she ran into his waiting arms. Laughing even harder, they collapsed to the ground, as completely wrapped up in each other as they'd been in life. Briefly looking to his right, Edward noticed something about their reflections in the water. They were back in the same outfits they'd worn when they first met. Their faces looked the same, too, a happy irony in their afterlife reunion. "What is it, darling", she asked. Turning back to face her again, he said softly, "Nothing", and he kissed the tip of her nose. He sighed as he ran his fingers through her hair, smiling again and rolling her over so that she was beneath him. He tickled her until she shrieked with laughter. When he had her sufficiently breathless, he leaned down to kiss her on the mouth. Just before their lips made full contact, he repeated his words from so long ago: "Elizabeth…my wife."

_**I'm gonna love you, like nobody loves you.**_

_**And I'll win your trust, making memories of us.**_

_**AN: As always, I ask for you to please be kind & polite in your reviews.**_


End file.
